Requirements for a Shaolin
Fighter
The requirements for a Shaolin Fighter are expressed
in a form of sayings:
To be as graceful as a cat
This rule says that in a fight one should make light,
easy and graceful movements like the cat does.
To be as aggressive as the tiger
The tiger personifies courage and aggressiveness.
The meaning of this saying is that in the face of your
enemy you should overrun his courage. Advance
harshly, retreat without any confusion, estimate the real
situation and than heavily punch with a sharp rush to
the enemy.
To step like a dragon
The dragon in China is a symbol of strength and
power, so steps should be strong, powerful and
resolute.
Requirements for a Shaolin Fighter: To be as graceful as a cat
If steps are not resolute, something wrong will be with
fists. A non-confident step means a slipshod fist.
Thus, steps must be strong and confident. The step
follows the movement of the body. When one step is
over, the movement of the body is over, too.
To act like a lightning stroke
One must be quick as a lightning stroke and instantly
response to any changes. Punch in the fight should
look like flash of lightning. You should punch so quickly
as not to feel the striking moment. If your punch went
home, you should not feel it.
To shout like thunder
In the fight the most powerful strikes are delivered
with a shout to help more powerful "effort-jin" emission.
To move like a gust of wind
One must move vehemently like a violent gust of
wind. If you started fighting with a frontal attack, use
your force on the left and on the right to follow the
principle  The fist is visible, the strike is invisible
and  If you do not see your hand striking the enemy,
you will never see this enemy.
Requirements for a Shaolin Fighter: To act like a lightning stroke
To stay like a nail
One must stay on a foot like a driven nail.
To be as heavy as a mountain
One should maintain stances like a mountain that can
not be moved off. One should train in  mabu ( rider )
stance and  pole standing stance. Those two exercises
are the most important methods to train strong feet and
to regulate your breathing.
To be as light as goose down
However, at the same time you must move around
quickly and lightly and instantly response to enemy's
actions like goose down moves with the lightest whiff of
the wind.
To be soft as cotton wool
Before full exposure of rigidity and its realization at a
striking moment one must rear internal slackness and
vivifying void.
Requirements for a Shaolin Fighter: To stay like a nail
As hard as iron
With the help of some methods of physical condi-
tioning body, arms and legs of the fighter must become
as hard as iron and in the contact with the enemy affect
him like metal objects.
Final Comments
The Shaolin writings presented here originated from
Master Lam Sai Wing (1860-1943) in his canonical
Books.
Requirements for a Shaolin Fighter: As hard as iron